The present invention relates to a new and distinct variety of Torenia fournieri.times.Torenia concolor plant that was obtained as a mutation of the `Sunrenipiho` variety (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 10,118).
The torenia is a very popular plant and is used for flower bedding and potting in the summer season. There are only a few varieties of the torenia plant which have a semi-erect growth habit, and a high resistance to heat and diseases.
Accordingly, this invention was aimed at providing a new torenia variety that forms a great profusion of flowers having bi-colored white and vivid reddish-purple petals, a semi-erect growth habit, and a good resistance to heat and diseases.
The new variety of torenia plant was discovered as a spontaneous branch mutation of the `Sunrenipiho` variety during March 1996 at the Oumi Research Center of SUNTORY Ltd., located at 863-1, Aza-Iketani, Omori-cho, Yokaichi-shi, Shiga-ken, Japan. The mutant torenia plant was propagated by the use of cuttings beginning in March, 1996 and has been grown in potted plant and bedding trials beginning in April, 1997. The botanical characteristics of the plant were examined, using a similar variety, `Panda Rose` and the parent variety, `Sunrenipiho`, for comparison. As a result, it was concluded that this new torenia plant is distinguishable from any other variety whose existence is known to us and is uniform and stable in its characteristics following asexual reproduction at such location by the use of cuttings. This new variety of torenia plant has been named `Sunrenilapiho`.
In the following description, the color-coding is in accordance with the R.H.S. Colour Chart of The Royal Horticultural Society, London, England. The color chart of The Japan Color Standard for Horticultural Plants (J.H.S. Color Chart) is also added for reference in some instances.
The parent variety `Sunrenipiho` was a mutant of the `Sunrenibu` variety (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 10,119) obtained from crossing `Clown Mix` (.female.) (non-patented in the United States) and `Con Color` (.male.) (non-patented in the United States). The botanical characteristics of such parent plants are summarized hereafter for comparative purposes when grown in Japan.